1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to methods and devices for hanging picture frames and the like on walls, and more specifically, to an offset hanger for minimizing the space between the picture frame and a wall on which it is mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous designs of hangers have been proposed for hanging picture frames on a wall. However, none of these appears to be of a construction in which most of the hanger is recessed within the frame and the only portion of hanger that projects behind the frame is a thin sheet of metal from which the hanger is formed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,147,863 issued in 1915 to Hickerson et al. for a suspending device. The patent discusses a main body 6 formed with a hole 7 for attachment to the rear surface of a picture frame. However, as shown in FIGS. 2-7 the rings 9 and 18 in FIGS. 2-5 and the eyelet portion 23 shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 project rearwardly behind the rear surface of the frame. Therefore, there is no suggestion of placing or positioning the actual attachment or connector portions that interface with the wall inwardly of the rear surface of the frame and within a cavity, space represented by the thickness of the frame.
An earlier U.S. Pat. No. 821,159 issued in 1906 to Feldmann for a hanger for picture frames shows the hanger attached within the picture frame cavity but a prong 3 projects behind the frame. (See FIGS. 2 and 3).
U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,311 is for a picture frame securing bracket issued to Hamlin that appears to be attached below the stretcher frame 13 (FIG. 2) with the wire 15 extending from the bottom of the frame as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, while the flat portion 8 is the only one that extends behind the frame 13, the bracket is attached to a picture frame 5 and not the frame 13 on which the canvass is stretched. Also, it is not clear how the picture using the Hamlin device would actually hang on the wall considering that it extends from the bottom of the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,459 discloses a frame mounting bracket issued to Summerville, Jr. that is partially received within a cavity of the frame 20 (FIGS. 2-6) but extends rearwardly of the back surface of the frame as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 6.
In Sutherland's U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,873 for a picture frame hanger clip the actual hook also appears to project to the back of the frame beyond the rear surface as suggested in FIG. 5. Also, the hardware is not attached to the frame itself but supported by the rear panel or backing 14.
A display frame for mounting vertical surface is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,906 to Sherman. However, the mounting hardware appears to be designed to interface with a specific frame configuration, a section of which is shown in FIG. 4. Also, as shown in FIGS. 2-4, the lower portion 37 extends significantly to the rear of the picture frame 12.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,558 to Wallo is for a wall mounted picture hanger. The picture hanger appears somewhat complicated in construction and in normal use with the variety of picture frames appears to project significantly behind the frames (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5). In FIG. 2 the picture hanger appears to be recessed within the picture frame cavity and shows the hanger attached to the wall “supporting a wooden picture frame” (Col. 2, lines 54-56). However, it is not clear whether the actual picture or canvass or mirror is mounted within the cavity of the frame 64. In FIG. 2 no portion of the picture hanger appears to be connected or fastened to the rear surface of the picture frame and, instead, the entire hanger is attached to the wall and the picture frame is simply supported by the device.